Abstract - Division of Microbiology Office of the Chair The Office of the Chair of the Division of Microbiology is responsible for the administration for the faculty and staff of the Division, including the Infectious Disease Aerobiology Core (IDAC), the Pathogen Detection and Quantification Core (PDQC), and the Virus Characterization, Isolation and Production Core (VCIPC). The Division Chair reports to the Director of the TNPRC and is responsible for the administration and operation of the Division including research, service and training activities. Some of these duties include recruiting (in conjunction with the Director and members of the Executive Committee), ensuring the efficient functioning of the three service cores associated with the Division, helping to guide the success of junior faculty members through discussion of their research programs and providing advice on grant submissions, regular evaluation of faculty and staff, development of Division budgets, coordinating lab and office space with in the Division (and in cooperation with other Divisions at the Center). In addition, the Chair serves on the TNPRC Executive Committee, and performs TNPRC and Tulane service functions. The Office of the Chair also serves as the point of contact for external collaborators interested in performing research in conjunction with investigators in the Division. The Office of the Chair also provides administrative and secretarial support to the faculty in the Division. During the current funding period, Preston Marx initially served as Chair. When Dr. Marx took the position of Chair at the Department of Tropical Medicine early in 2015, Antonito Panganiban became Interim Chair of the Division. Progress and accomplishments in the Office of the Chair during the current period of grant support include successful oversight of the scientific and administrative operations of the Division. The Chair ensured the growth of the Division by assisting the faculty in obtaining significant grant funding, by assisting with grant preparation and submission, and by providing scientific equipment. The Chair served as member of the TNPRC Executive Committee and advised the Director on policy matters pertinent to the Center, including Center appointments, future directions for research and the appropriate allocation of resources to the various programs at the Center.